Sample thief



Patented May 20, 1.93()

UNITED STATES .P'ATENT WILLIAM D. DUNN, oF ELIZABETH, AND ROBERTJEFFERYS, or CARTERET, NEW JER` SEY; SAID DUNN ASSIGNOR TO RETTAVI-IAR/RIET DUNN, OF ELIZABETH, NEW

' JERSEY SAMPLE THIEF Application mea 'February 5, 1929. serial'No.337,574.

This invention relates to a novelsample thief, i. e. a'device adapted toobtain a sample (laf liquid from a container at any desired leve .f f

yThis invention has for an object to provide a samplethief which willovercome the defects and undesirable features of previous devices andwhich positively will take a true sample at any desired elevation.Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this natureadapted to be lowered into a tank or othercontainer by a cord, which iscompletelyr closed during its descent in the liquid,.and which isadapted .15 to be opened by the same cord which supports the device.

A further object` is to provide a normally closed sample-thief whichmaybe supported vandiopened by a single cord'andwhich lis .izo adapted toobtain a sample at any'desired elevation in the tank orl ,to pickup asample f from. the very ybottom of the tank, such for example as toindicate whether, and khow much, water may be present in the bottom ,g5of an oil tank.

' Other Aobjects 'and advantages will be in part indicated in' thefollowing ydescription and in part rendered apparenttherefrom inconnectionwith the annexed drawings.

yTo enable others skilled in the art so fully to apprehend theunderlying features hereof that, they mayy embody the same in thevarious ways contemplated by this invention, drawings depicting apreferred typical construction have been anneXedas a part of thisdisclosure and, in such drawings, like characters of ,reference denotecorresponding partsthroughout all the views, of which Figure 1 is acentral vertical section through the improved sample thief, showin themain valve, which controls the How of fluid into the device and also thebottom valve in their closed positions. Fig. 2'is a similar view showingboth the m'ain valve and the bottom valve in their open positions. Fig.3 is a section lon theline 3,'-3 of Fig. V1.

Referring more specifically to the draw,- ings the improved samplethiefis disclosed as comprising a closedchamber providediby, 5u a tubularbody `member l and upper and lower end caps 2 and 3. The endv capl 2 oilor other liquidinto which the device has" been lowered. The valve 5isnormally maintained.v in the position shown in Fig. l by kmeans ofspring elements 6 secured to the end cap 2 and engaging the conicalportion 7 of the valve-stem. A single cord 8 secured to the upper end ofthe valve-stem serves to support the sample thief and also to open thevalve atthe desired depth as later will be described.

To thelower end of the valve stem there is secured a cross arm or spider9 within which is iixed two pins l0,V adapted, as shown in Fig'. 2, toengage the inner wall of the cap 2`and thereby llimit the axial movementof the valve. It is to be understood that the device is made of suchweight and propor-vr tions thatit will sink withinthe liquid dey siredto' be' sampled, while `filled with air.

:The loperation of the improved sample thief when taking samples atvarious elevations is as follows; the device filled with air, and withthe valve 5 closed, as shown in Fig. l, is lowered into liquid heldwithin a tank or other container. y,W'hen Vthe `device has yreached theelevation at which the sample is desired,` asT may be indicated bysuitable graduations on the cord 8, theoperator gives the cord a jerk.This causes the conical por-y g y vtion 7 of the valve-stem to spreadthe spring sof"Y elements 6 so thatthe valve may bemoved axiallyrelativetothe body of the, device to the position shown in Fig. 2. Air withinthe device then escapes through the port 4 and the liquid 'at theelevation ofthe portv flows vinto the receptacle completely filling it.The device, with its sample, is then raised by the cord 8 and atruesample at a, prede-v termined elevation in the tank is available.

Where it is desired to take samples from the bottom of 'a tank thedevice is provided.

at its lower end with a second valve 11. This valve comprises a casing12 secured to the end cap 3 and adording a seat for a springpressedplunger 13 having its end 13'DI pro*v jectingv through' the Vend cap andadapted to Vengage thebottomofthe tank. As shown in Fig. 2, Contact ofthe end 13a withgthe bottom ofthe tank causes thelplunger to ,be forcedupwardly against'the action of the spring 14 and liquid from the bottomof the tank flows upwardly about the reducedend 13a and through holes 15in the casing 12 into the body member. vA cap16 may be threaded L upon`the member 12 to afford 4an abutment Vforgthespring 14 and to guide theplunger 18.y When taking a sample from the bottom of atank ,the operatorlowers the device until he feels it rest upon Vthe bottom of the tank.Thisfof course opens the valve 11 but liquid may ,not iow intotliedevice because it is then filled with air. ,The operator then raises theVdevice slightly from the bottom of the,

tank and jerks the cordy 8 thereby vopening the port 4 as previouslydescribed. He im-v mediately lowers the cord ,8 until the device againrests onthe bottom of the tank. As the air :escapes through the port 4liquid enters throughthe then openvalve 11.` Should One of theprincipal' purposes taking'k afbottom sample is to ascertainwhether anyvr,Water exists in an .oil tank and if so Vthe amount of water therein.The present device performs this task admirably wellasit'takes thesample directly from the bottom of the tank and will indicatethepresence of as littlefas 1% inch of Water. Obviously when the valvesare open the water inthe tank .will seek itslevel within the device andtherefore a sample taken `from the bottom will indicate whether, and towhat depth, water is present in the tankf; A glass window 17 ispreferably provided in one side of the body member 1 through which theelevation ofthewater therein may be observed...

Throughout the specification the term cordr7 has been used to define thesupporting means for the, casing.f4 It is to be underf stood thatthis'term is intended to cover all forms`r of flexible or semi-flexibleelements such for example as cables, Wires, chains, etc., Vasdistinguished from .a pole, rod or other rigid element.

Having thus described our invention what We claim and desire tosecure'by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is: Y

1. A sample thief comprising a normally closed casing Yadapted to belowered into liquid; Ya oord supporting said casing; and

means actuated by said cord to open said cas- Y ing atany desiredeleva-tion.V Y Y 2. A sample thief Vcomprising a casing adapted to belowered into liquid; aVA port in said casing; a valve normally closing.said port; yielding means maintaining said valve in port-closingposition; and Va singleV cord at, tachedto said valve and servinglbothfo. supi port said casing and to actuatesaid valve tok open saidport at any desired elevation inI Vsaidv liquid;V

3. vAsamplethief combining a normally closed casing adapted to belowered into liquidgan'intake port'infsaid casing; ,a valve normallyclosing saidport,V saidvalve coin:

pri'sing a member shiftableV axially; relative tosaid casing andaffording a portion;of a

size and shape to close said port {yielding deso Y tent`means.actingupon said valve to maintain said'portion in4 port-closingposition ;v a sm-` `f gle cord, connectedwith said valve and serv- 7 ingthrough said detent'means to supportsaid casing and to shift said valveaxially Vrelative to said'casing thereby to move :said portion away fromsaid port to afford ingress for liquid; and means to support .saidcasing on said valve member vin its shifted position;

4.. A sample.thiefcombininga liquid tight casing adapted to be loweredinto liquidyan'` intake port in said casingg'avvalve-normally closingsaid port, said valve comprising a membershiftable axially of saidcasingand affording one portion ofa shape and*V size tion ofreducedv size;friction ineansacting upon said valve to maintain thejfirst namedportion in port-closing .position and thereduced portion withinsaidcasing; a single?! cordfconnected with 'said 'valve and adapted tovsupport saidcasing and by means of a jerk to overcome said frictionmeans and shift Y Y AT adapted to close said port andanother por- I saidvalve axiallythereby tok put the reduced Y portion thereof Vin said portto aifordingress for liquid; and-means to limit the relative axialmovement betweenthe casing and' valve 5. A sample thief as setg'foith.in claim which theshiftable Vvalve member is formed with a'conicalportionand spring elements carried by the casing frictional-ly engagethe conical portion to supportthe weight of the casing onA said valvemember,` and in'-'.which Y said frictional engagementisadapted tobeVovercome byla jerkon the supporting cord. 1

f 6. A sample thief-as set vfortliin claim Y4 in: 'i

cured elements adafitedY toeng'age any inner Wall ofthe closed casing tolimitV the relative vaxial movement between the casingfand' theWhich-the reduced iniier'rend of thevalve .member carries a' memberv to-wliichfare'fse'rvalvemember, thereby to'y position the `re, f

duced portion ofthe valve in tlierintakeV port to kafford an ingress forliquid,

7. A sample thief combining a normally closed casing; a port in theupper end thereof; a valve normally closing said'port; a single cordconnected With said valve and adapted to perform the dual function ofsupporting said casing and actuating said valve; a

port in the lower end of said casing; and a valve normally closing thelast named port,

the last named valve comprising a spring re-V sisted member projectingfrom said. casing and adapted to be shifted to port-openingy position bycontact With the bottom of a container. Y

8. A sample thief adapted to take a sample from the bottom of acontainer comprising av liquid tight casing adaptedto be lowered intoliquid vvhile'filled with air; an intake port in the bottom of saidcasing; a valve normallyfclosing said port,` said valve having a portionadapted-bycontact With the bottom of a container to open said port;

an air exhaust port in the upper end of said casing; a slide valvenormally closing the last named port; detent means normally act.

ing to maintain said slide valve in port-closing position; a cordconnected with said slide valve and adapted by a jerk to overcome saiddetent means thereby to open said upper port; and means positively tosupport said casing on said slide valve.

In Witness whereof, We have hereuntosubscribed our names.

WILLIAM D. DUNN. ROBERT J EFFERYS,

